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๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฑ Hebrew ยท free

Easy Hebrew short stories for beginners

Modern Hebrew is usually written without vowel marks (niqqud), so a beginner has to know a word to pronounce it. That gap between textbooks, which use vowels, and everyday Hebrew, which does not, is where many learners stall. Graded reading in unvocalised Hebrew for English speakers is rare.

ReadNative's Hebrew book is Jonah, retold from the Book of Jonah as a graded story in Modern Hebrew over 36 chapters, from absolute beginner to B1. It is written as adults read Hebrew, and tapping any word gives its English meaning and a transliteration with the vowels. The opening chapters of Jonah โ€” in fact the whole book โ€” are free to read in your browser at readnative.org, with tap-to-translate on every word.

Start with the first story

36 stories, easiest first

A1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 1: ื’ืช ื—ืคืจ Chapter 1: Gat-Hefer ื–ื” ื›ืคืจ ืงื˜ืŸ. ืœื›ืคืจ ืงื•ืจืื™ื ื’ืช ื—ืคืจ. This is a small village. The village is called Gat-Hefer. A1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 2: ื”ืงื•ืœ ื‘ืœื™ืœื” Chapter 2: The Voice in the Night ื”ืœื™ืœื” ื—ืฉื•ืš ื•ืงืจ. ื”ื›ืคืจ ืฉืงื˜ ืžืื•ื“. The night is dark and cold. The village is very quiet. A1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 3: ื ื™ื ื•ื” Chapter Three: Nineveh ื™ื•ื ื” ื™ื•ื“ืข ืขืœ ื ื™ื ื•ื”. ื ื™ื ื•ื” ืขื™ืจ ื’ื“ื•ืœื” ืžืื•ื“. Jonah knows about Nineveh. Nineveh is a very big city. A1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 4: ื”ื”ื—ืœื˜ื” Chapter Four: The Decision ื™ื•ื ื” ื™ื•ืฉื‘ ื‘ื’ื™ื ื”, ืœื‘ื“. ื’ื ืขื›ืฉื™ื• ื”ืœื™ืœื” ื—ืฉื•ืš. Jonah sits in the garden, alone. Even now the night is dark. A1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 5: ืขื•ื–ื‘ ืืช ื”ื‘ื™ืช Chapter Five: Leaving the House ื”ืฉื—ืจ ื‘ื. ื™ื•ื ื” ืงื ื‘ืฉื—ืจ. Dawn comes. Jonah gets up at dawn. A1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 6: ื”ื“ืจืš ืืœ ื”ื™ื Chapter Six: The Road to the Sea ื™ื•ื ื” ื”ื•ืœืš ืืœ ื”ื™ื. ื”ื“ืจืš ืืจื•ื›ื” ืžืื•ื“. Jonah walks toward the sea. The road is very long. A1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 7: ื™ืคื• Chapter Seven: Jaffa ื™ื•ื ื” ื‘ื ืœื™ืคื•. ื™ืคื• ืขื™ืจ ื’ื“ื•ืœื”. Jonah comes to Jaffa. Jaffa is a big city. A1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 8: ืื•ื ื™ื™ื” ืœืชืจืฉื™ืฉ Chapter Eight: A Ship to Tarshish ืœื™ื“ ื”ื™ื ื™ืฉ ื ืžืœ. ื‘ื ืžืœ ื™ืฉ ื”ืจื‘ื” ืื•ื ื™ื•ืช. Next to the sea there is a harbor. In the harbor there are many ships. A1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 9: ื”ื”ืคืœื’ื” Chapter Nine: The Voyage ื”ืื•ื ื™ื™ื” ื™ื•ืฆืืช ืžื™ืคื•. ื”ื™ื ื ื•ืกืขืช ืืœ ื”ื™ื ื”ื’ื“ื•ืœ. The ship leaves Jaffa. It travels into the big sea. A1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 10: ื”ืžืœื—ื™ื Chapter Ten: The Sailors ื”ื™ื• ื™ืžื™ื ืจืืฉื•ื ื™ื ื‘ื™ื. ื™ื•ื ื” ื”ื™ื” ื‘ืื•ื ื™ื™ื” ื›ื‘ืจ ื™ื•ืžื™ื™ื. There were first days at sea. Jonah had already been on the ship for two days. A1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 11: ื‘ื‘ื˜ืŸ ื”ืื•ื ื™ื™ื” Chapter Eleven: In the Ship's Hold ื™ื•ื ื” ื”ื™ื” ืขื™ื™ืฃ ืžืื•ื“. ื”ื•ื ื™ืฉื‘ ืขืœ ื”ืื•ื ื™ื™ื”, ื•ืœื ื™ืฉืŸ ื”ืจื‘ื” ื‘ืœื™ืœื”. Jonah was very tired. He sat on the ship, and had not slept much at night. A1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 12: ื”ืจื•ื— ื”ื’ื“ื•ืœื” Chapter Twelve: The Great Wind ืœื™ืœื” ืื—ื“, ืืœื•ื”ื™ื ืฉืœื— ืจื•ื— ื’ื“ื•ืœื” ืืœ ื”ื™ื. ื–ืืช ื”ื™ื™ืชื” ืกืขืจื” ื’ื“ื•ืœื”. One night, God sent a great wind to the sea. That was a great storm. A2 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 13: ืงื•ื, ืงืจื ืืœ ืืœื•ื”ื™ืš! Chapter Thirteen: Get Up, Call to Your God! ื—ื ื•ืŸ ื™ืจื“ ืืœ ื‘ื˜ืŸ ื”ืื•ื ื™ื™ื”, ืœืจืื•ืช ืžื” ืงื•ืจื”. ืžืขืœ ืจืืฉื•, ื”ื•ื ืฉืžืข ืืช ืงื•ืœ ื”ืกืขืจื”. Hanun went down to the ship's hold, to see what was happening. Above his head, he heard the sound of the storm. A2 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 14: ื”ื’ื•ืจืœ Chapter Fourteen: The Lot ื”ื’ืœื™ื ื”ื™ื• ื’ื“ื•ืœื™ื ื›ืžื• ื”ืจื™ื. ื”ืกืขืจื” ืœื ืคืกืงื”. The waves were as big as mountains. The storm did not cease. A2 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 15: ืขื‘ืจื™ ืื ื•ื›ื™ Chapter Fifteen: I Am a Hebrew ื›ืœ ื”ืžืœื—ื™ื ืขืžื“ื• ื•ืจืื• ืืช ื™ื•ื ื”. ื”ืื•ื ื™ื™ื” ื‘ืœื‘ ื”ื™ื, ื•ื”ืจื•ื— ื—ื–ืงื” ืžืื•ื“. All the sailors stood and looked at Jonah. The ship was in the heart of the sea, and the wind was very strong. A2 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 16: ืืœ ื”ื™ื‘ืฉื” Chapter Sixteen: To the Dry Land ื”ืจื•ื— ืขื“ื™ื™ืŸ ื—ื–ืงื”. ื”ื’ืœื™ื ืขืœื• ืืœ ื”ืื•ื ื™ื™ื”. The wind was still strong. The waves rose onto the ship. A2 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 17: ืืœ ื”ื™ื Chapter Seventeen: Into the Sea ื›ืœ ื”ืžืœื—ื™ื ืขืžื“ื• ืœื™ื“ ื™ื•ื ื”. ื”ื™ื ืขืœื” ืขื•ื“ ื•ืขื•ื“. All the sailors stood next to Jonah. The sea rose more and more. A2 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 18: ื”ื“ื’ ื”ื’ื“ื•ืœ Chapter Eighteen: The Great Fish ื™ื•ื ื” ื™ืจื“, ื•ื™ืจื“, ื•ื™ืจื“. ื”ื•ื ื™ืจื“ ืขืžื•ืง ื‘ื™ื. Jonah went down, and down, and down. He went down deep in the sea. A2 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 19: ื‘ื‘ื˜ืŸ ื”ื“ื’ Chapter 19: In the Belly of the Fish ื™ื•ื ื” ื™ื•ืฉื‘ ื‘ืชื•ืš ื”ื“ื’. ืฉื ื™ืฉ ื—ื•ืฉืš ื’ื“ื•ืœ. Jonah sits inside the fish. There is great darkness there. A2 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 20: ื”ืชืคื™ืœื” Chapter 20: The Prayer ื™ื•ื ื” ืขื“ื™ื™ืŸ ื‘ืชื•ืš ื”ื“ื’. ื”ื•ื ื–ื•ื›ืจ ืฉื”ื•ื ืขื“ื™ื™ืŸ ื—ื™. Jonah is still inside the fish. He remembers that he is still alive. A2 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 21: ื”ื™ื‘ืฉื” Chapter 21: The Dry Land ืคืชืื•ื ื”ื“ื’ ืขืฆืจ. ื”ื•ื ืขืœื” ืžื”ืžื™ื ืืœ ื”ื™ื‘ืฉื”. Suddenly the fish stopped. He rose from the water to the dry land. A2 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 22: ื”ืงื•ืœ, ืคืขื ืฉื ื™ื™ื” Chapter 22: The Voice, a Second Time ื™ื•ื ื” ืขื“ื™ื™ืŸ ื™ืฉื‘ ืขืœ ื”ื—ื•ืœ, ืœื‘ื“. ืคืชืื•ื ื”ื•ื ืฉืžืข ืงื•ืœ. Jonah still sat on the sand, alone. Suddenly he heard a voice. A2 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 23: ื”ื“ืจืš ื”ืืจื•ื›ื” Chapter 23: The Long Road ื™ื•ื ื” ื”ืœืš ืžื–ืจื—ื” ื”ืจื‘ื” ื™ืžื™ื. ื”ื“ืจืš ื”ื™ื™ืชื” ืืจื•ื›ื” ืžืื•ื“. Jonah walked eastward for many days. The road was very long. A2 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 24: ืฉืขืจื™ ื ื™ื ื•ื” Chapter 24: The Gates of Nineveh ืื—ืจื™ ื”ืจื‘ื” ื™ืžื™ื, ื™ื•ื ื” ื”ื’ื™ืข ืœื ื™ื ื•ื”. ื”ืขื™ืจ ื”ื™ื™ืชื” ื’ื“ื•ืœื” ืžืื•ื“. After many days, Jonah arrived at Nineveh. The city was very big. B1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 25: ื”ืงืจื™ืื” Chapter 25: The Proclamation ื™ื•ื ื” ืขื‘ืจ ื‘ืฉืขืจื™ ื ื™ื ื•ื”. ื”ื•ื ื”ืœืš ื™ื•ื ืฉืœื ื‘ืชื•ืš ื”ืขื™ืจ ื”ื’ื“ื•ืœื”. Jonah passed through the gates of Nineveh. He walked a whole day inside the great city. B1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 26: ื”ืขื™ืจ ืžืืžื™ื ื” Chapter 26: The City Believes ื™ื•ื ื” ื”ืœืš ืืœ ืชื•ืš ื”ืขื™ืจ. ืื‘ืœ ื”ืžื™ืœื™ื ืฉืœื• ื›ื‘ืจ ื”ืœื›ื• ืœืคื ื™ื•. Jonah walked into the city. But his words already walked ahead of him. B1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 27: ื”ืžืœืš Chapter 27: The King ื”ืžื™ืœื™ื ืฉืœ ื™ื•ื ื” ื”ื’ื™ืขื• ื’ื ืืœ ื”ืžืœืš. ืื ืฉื™ื ืกื™ืคืจื• ืœืžืœืš ืขืœ ื™ื•ื ื”. The words of Jonah reached even the king. People told the king about Jonah. B1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 28: ืืœื•ื”ื™ื ืจื•ืื” Chapter 28: God Sees ืืœื•ื”ื™ื ืจืื” ืืช ืขื™ืจ ื ื™ื ื•ื”. ื”ื•ื ืจืื” ืฉื›ืœ ื”ืขื™ืจ ืฆืžื”, ื•ืœื‘ืฉื” ืฉืง, ื•ื™ืฉื‘ื” ื‘ืืคืจ. God saw the city of Nineveh. He saw that the whole city fasted, wore sackcloth, and sat in ashes. B1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 29: ื”ื›ืขืก Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Anger ืื ืฉื™ ื ื™ื ื•ื” ื—ื–ืจื• ืžื”ื“ืจืš ื”ืจืขื” ืฉืœื”ื. ืืœื•ื”ื™ื ืจืื” ืืช ื–ื”, ื•ืกืœื— ืœืขื™ืจ ื”ื’ื“ื•ืœื”. The people of Nineveh turned back from their evil way. God saw this, and forgave the great city. B1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 30: ื”ื˜ื•ื‘ ื—ืจื” ืœืš? Chapter Thirty: Is It Right for You to Be Angry? ืืœื•ื”ื™ื ืฉืžืข ืืช ื”ื›ืขืก ืฉืœ ื™ื•ื ื”. ืื‘ืœ ืืœื•ื”ื™ื ืœื ื›ืขืก. God heard Jonah's anger. But God did not get angry back. B1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 31: ื”ืงื™ืงื™ื•ืŸ Chapter Thirty-One: The Plant ื™ื•ื ืื—ื“, ืืœื•ื”ื™ื ืขืฉื” ื“ื‘ืจ ื—ื“ืฉ. ืืœื•ื”ื™ื ืžื™ื ื” ืงื™ืงื™ื•ืŸ, ืœื™ื“ ื”ืกื•ื›ื” ืฉืœ ื™ื•ื ื”. One day, God did something new. God appointed a plant, beside Jonah's sukkah. B1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 32: ื”ืชื•ืœืขืช Chapter Thirty-Two: The Worm ืœืžื—ืจืช ื‘ื‘ื•ืงืจ, ืืœื•ื”ื™ื ืžื™ื ื” ืชื•ืœืขืช. ื”ืชื•ืœืขืช ื”ื™ื™ืชื” ืงื˜ื ื” ืžืื•ื“. The next morning, God appointed a worm. The worm was very small. B1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 33: ื—ืกืช ืขืœ ื”ืงื™ืงื™ื•ืŸ Chapter 33: You Pitied the Plant ื”ืงื™ืงื™ื•ืŸ ื™ื‘ืฉ ืขื›ืฉื™ื•. ืื™ืŸ ืขื•ื“ ืฆืœ ืขืœ ื™ื•ื ื”. The plant is withered now. There is no more shade over Jonah. B1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 34: ืžืื” ื•ืขืฉืจื™ื ืืœืฃ Chapter 34: A Hundred and Twenty Thousand ื”ืขืจื‘ ื™ื•ืจื“ ืขืœ ื ื™ื ื•ื” ื”ืขื™ืจ ื”ื’ื“ื•ืœื”. ื”ืฉืžืฉ ืื“ื•ืžื” ืขืœ ื”ื—ื•ืžื•ืช. Evening descends on Nineveh, the great city. The sun is red over the walls. B1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 35: ื”ื–ื™ื›ืจื•ืŸ Chapter 35: The Memory ื™ื•ื ื” ื™ื•ืฉื‘ ืขืœ ื”ื’ื‘ืขื”, ืœื™ื“ ื”ืกื•ื›ื” ืฉืœื•. ื”ื•ื ืขื™ื™ืฃ, ืื‘ืœ ืœื ื™ืฉืŸ. Jonah sits on the hill, beside his sukkah. He is tired, but he does not sleep. B1 ยท Jonah ืคืจืง 36: ื”ืฉืืœื” Chapter Thirty-Six: The Question ื™ื•ื ื” ืœื ื™ืฉืŸ, ื›ืœ ื”ืœื™ืœื”. ื”ื–ื™ื›ืจื•ืŸ ืœื ืขื–ื‘ ืื•ืชื•, ืขื“ ื”ื‘ื•ืงืจ. Jonah did not sleep, all night. The memory did not leave him, until morning.

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Questions

Is this Biblical or Modern Hebrew?

Modern Hebrew. The story comes from the Book of Jonah, but the language is the Hebrew spoken in Israel today.

Are vowel marks (niqqud) shown?

No, the text is printed without niqqud, as normal Hebrew is. Tapping a word shows a transliteration with the vowels.

Do I need to know Hebrew already?

You need the alphabet. The book itself starts at absolute beginner level.